Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be done and provide the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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 so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Clouston Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Clouston Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it may need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dried air can be easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Clouston Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes much easier to allow the home to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and 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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about 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 Healthy Homes Standards. 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 a variety of things to be able to examine in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home assessment.