Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Clouston Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of the house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Clouston Park

Rental properties in Clouston Park must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

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

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Clouston Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists 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 Clouston Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Clouston Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home assessment.