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 now have to make sure 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 fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that needs to be done and provide the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Churton Park, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Churton Park rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Churton Park rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Churton Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Churton Park

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Churton Park

Churton Park rental properties must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it may require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Churton Park

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Churton Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Churton Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Churton Park

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Churton Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Churton Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• 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 have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.