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? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must 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 assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer the 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 violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Ascot Park rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over 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 Stopping for Ascot Park rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Ascot Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications 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 heat that can warm the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air is more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Ascot Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 and 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 water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this 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 by the Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.