Healthy Homes Assessment Manor Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Manor Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas 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 standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate each of 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information 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 of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Manor Park, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Manor Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Manor Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss 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 lower temperatures in homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in 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 the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Manor Park

Manor Park rental properties need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have 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 installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Manor Park

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements at least open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Manor Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, 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 standard.

Manor Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Manor Park

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

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Manor Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in the home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.