Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Ascot 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 within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Ascot Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Ascot Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Ascot Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Ascot Park

Ascot Park rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air is less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

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

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Ascot Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ascot Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to The Healthy Homes Standard in Ascot Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.