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 are now required to ensure that their Brown Owl rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll 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 contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Brown Owl rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Brown Owl rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Brown Owl

Rental properties in Brown Owl should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Brown Owl

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full 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 inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent 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 to Health Homes Standard. 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 a myriad of things to check during a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.