Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done and provide the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’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 to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification 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 incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request a house inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Clouston Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Clouston Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Clouston Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from the house need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Clouston Park

Rental properties in Clouston Park require a reliable source of heating that can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like an air conditioner, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Clouston Park

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Clouston Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier for the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• 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 quality.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clouston Park

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Clouston Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.