Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by 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 standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Clouston Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Clouston Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Clouston Park

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

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements at least open to the outside, but remain closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Clouston Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task for the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your 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 Clouston Park

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there 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?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.