Healthy Homes Assessment Anderson Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Anderson Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Anderson Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will 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 and property managers providing a false or misleading 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 leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on 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 the property in New Zealand and Anderson Park, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Anderson Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Anderson Park

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Anderson Park

Rental properties in Anderson Park should have a permanent heating source which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent 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 like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Anderson Park

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Anderson Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Anderson Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Anderson Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Anderson Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Anderson Park for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

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