Healthy Homes Assessment Churton 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 their Churton Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified for 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Churton Park, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Churton Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning 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 in Churton Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Churton Park

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Churton Park

Churton Park rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will 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 acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Churton Park

Every living space of the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Churton Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure 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 subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making it easier to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well 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 – all 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Churton Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Churton Park

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Churton Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Churton Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a 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 home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.