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? Landlords are now required to make sure their Manor Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Manor Park, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the standard of Manor Park rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs 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 within Manor Park rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Manor Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Manor Park

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Manor Park

Manor Park rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might require an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Manor Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Manor Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to allow the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs 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 higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Manor Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Manor Park

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Manor Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Manor Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.