Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Ascot Park rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Ascot Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from the house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Ascot Park

Ascot Park rental properties need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Ascot Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to allow the home to retain warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ascot Park

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.