Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

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

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with 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 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand 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 any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Brown Owl rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Brown Owl rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Brown Owl

Brown Owl rental properties must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Brown Owl

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task for the home to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well 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 – all 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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full 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
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

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

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.