Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified for 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the standard of Ascot Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Ascot Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Ascot Park

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

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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 do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Ascot Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task for the home to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ascot Park

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.