Healthy Homes Assessment Manor Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that 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 meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, 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

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

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

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Manor Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Manor Park rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Manor Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Manor Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the house is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Manor Park

Manor Park rental properties must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the 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 heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings 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 need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Manor Park

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated 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 liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

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

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Manor Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to the household to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Manor Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Manor Park

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Manor Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Manor Park for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.