Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that 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 must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to evaluate both 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement 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 does not provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research indicates that rental houses tend 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 well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Clouston Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Clouston Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Clouston Park

Rental properties in Clouston Park need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living room 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 health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Clouston Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to the household to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet 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 insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about 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 by the Healthy Homes Standard in Clouston Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for during the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.