Healthy Homes Assessment Anderson Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Anderson Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Anderson Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may 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 live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Anderson Park, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Anderson Park rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Anderson Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Anderson Park

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable 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 likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

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 movement within the structure as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Anderson Park

Rental properties in Anderson Park need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If the living area already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Anderson Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Anderson Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to the house to hold heat.

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

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 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Anderson Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. 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 Anderson Park

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Anderson Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Anderson Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.