Healthy Homes Assessment Churton 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? Landlords must make sure that their Churton Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Churton Park, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Churton Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Churton Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Churton Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Churton Park

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Churton Park

Churton Park rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Churton Park

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding how dried air can be more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Churton Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the house to keep heat.

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

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

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Churton Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Churton Park

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Churton Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.