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 make sure that their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely 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 your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate 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 on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Clouston Park rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Clouston Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most 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 likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Clouston Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when 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 rising into the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this 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 with Health 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 look over in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.