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? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Clouston Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of 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 healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide 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 lease agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Clouston Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Clouston Park rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Clouston Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 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 well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air will be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside and remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Clouston Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clouston Park

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.