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 make sure their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements 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 in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

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

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

It is important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Clouston Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

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

Heating Clouston Park

Rental properties in Clouston Park need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dried air can be less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Clouston Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to allow the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist 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 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Clouston Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.