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 ensure their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found 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, we are completely certified to evaluate 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Clouston Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it may need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Clouston Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task to the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clouston Park

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.