Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Brown Owl rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Brown Owl rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in 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 increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Brown Owl

Brown Owl rental properties need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it could 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 effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Brown Owl

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brown Owl

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Brown Owl include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over in a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.