Healthy Homes Assessment Anderson Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Anderson 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 are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Anderson Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for an Anderson Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Anderson Park, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Anderson Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Anderson Park rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Anderson Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Anderson Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A cold 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 the area needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Anderson Park

Rental properties in Anderson Park should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, 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 heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Anderson Park

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Anderson Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Anderson Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the property. 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 Anderson Park

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Anderson Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Anderson Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.