Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be completed and provide a 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 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 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified to evaluate each of 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 brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one 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 Compliance Statement needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Ascot Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Ascot Park rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Ascot Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Ascot Park

Ascot Park rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it may need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Ascot Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for 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 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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

Property rental areas that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine in a home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.