Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot 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 make sure their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal 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 to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements 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 $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Ascot Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Ascot Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within the home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Ascot Park

Ascot Park rental properties require a reliable source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each liveable space in a rental house must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Ascot Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete 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 through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Ascot Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home evaluation.