Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be done and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when 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 comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Clouston Park rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Clouston Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Clouston Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the home warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must include an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Each living space within a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain closed, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Clouston Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure 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 and underfloor R 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the 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 to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Clouston Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.