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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Clouston Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control within Clouston Park rental properties.

Start now and call 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 less temperature in houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the house warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Clouston Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed 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 polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the 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

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Clouston Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.