Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Ascot 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 assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation 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 landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and request a house assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Ascot Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Ascot Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Ascot Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within your house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Ascot Park

Ascot Park rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in 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 check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to include an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it could require an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Every living space of a rental home must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Ascot Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier for the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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 Ascot Park

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check during the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.