Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to assess 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 on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Clouston Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Clouston Park rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting 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 cold home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure as the home warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Clouston Park

Rental properties in Clouston Park require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside and remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Clouston Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to allow the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

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 in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clouston Park

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Clouston Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.