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 effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Churton Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to 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 can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes 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 in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Churton Park, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Churton Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Churton Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Churton Park

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Churton Park

Rental properties in Churton Park need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even on the most 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 outlook.

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

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Churton Park

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dried air can be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Churton Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes much easier to the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of 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, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Churton Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Churton Park

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Churton Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.