Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Brown Owl 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 completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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 relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable 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 name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request a home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Brown Owl rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Brown Owl rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Brown Owl

Rental properties in Brown Owl require a reliable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Brown Owl

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make much easier to allow the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water 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 prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brown Owl

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Brown Owl include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.