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 must ensure their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects 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. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the quality of Ascot Park rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Ascot Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Ascot Park

Rental properties in Ascot Park must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it might just need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Ascot Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of 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 of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

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

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ascot Park

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.