Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Brown Owl rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required to complete 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 to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Brown Owl rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance 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 in Brown Owl rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Brown Owl

Brown Owl rental properties require a reliable 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) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Brown Owl

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make much easier to the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brown Owl

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Brown Owl include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• 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 review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house 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 being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.